The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights

FCR files amicus briefs and publishes information pertaining to constitutional rights, governmental power, and related legal issues.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Mahesha Subbaraman of Subbaraman, PLLC argued at the Court of Appeals on behalf of data requester Robert Cattanach.
https://t.co/T0lVsjW45a.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

The outcome of the Cattanach v. City of St. Paul case will determine whether data requesters (who in many instances do not suffer monetary damages from the government's improper withholding of data) can use the “exemplary damages” provision to penalize governmental misconduct.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Cattanach argued that “exemplary damages” are available without a showing of actual damages, and are available even to those who have suffered “nominal” damages from a government entity’s “willful” violation of the Data Practices Act.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

In its briefing, the City of Saint Paul argued that “exemplary damages” are only available to persons who have suffered “actual” (i.e., monetary) damages.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Exemplary damages are available under the Data Practices Act for “willful” violations of that statute.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Cattanach’s case was the first time a Minnesota court had awarded exemplary damages to a data requester, despite the remedy being available since the 1970s.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

At the district court level, Judge Patrick Diamond awarded exemplary damages to data requester Robert Cattanach, in response to failures by the City of Paul to provide data in accordance with the terms of the Data Practices Act (Minnesota’s “open records” law).

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Today, the Minnesota Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the Robert Cattanach v. City of St. Paul data practices case.
https://t.co/T0lVsjW45a.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

The Forum for Constitutional rights joined an amici brief in the consolidated appeals related to the Trump executive orders targeting law firms
https://t.co/MZqEK7IBao

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Via Reuters: "US appeals court to hear Trump's bid to punish major law firms"
https://t.co/n8B2rFj5X0

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Via Forum for Constitutional Rights: "City of Minneapolis records document Alex Pretti’s shooting by federal agents"
https://t.co/A0BwaK72kh

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Via Forum for Constitutional Rights: "MPLS Record Set: Incident involving ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good"
https://t.co/qUuOlGSmVK

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

Via Star Tribune: "Judge gives federal government three weeks to turn over evidence from Renee Good killing"
https://t.co/bPsHmLnhYc

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

FCR receives new documents regarding Alex Pretti shooting
https://t.co/A0BwaK72kh

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

The records were released in response to a Data Practices Act request filed by the Forum for Constitutional Rights and Government Accountability (FCR) on January 26, 2026.

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

On April 7th, the City of Minneapolis released police and fire records related to the shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by federal agents. Pretti was shot on January 24th, 2026 by agents participating in “Operation Metro Surge."

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

New from the FCR Report: "City of Minneapolis records document Alex Pretti’s shooting by federal agents"
https://t.co/LIr3tvkj06

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

The Trump administration lost every one of the district court cases, leading to the present appeal
https://t.co/MZqEK7IBao

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

FCR previously joined amici briefs in the same series of cases at the district court level
https://t.co/08RcbJs3we

[The FCR Report/The Forum For Constitutional Rights @FConRights]

The Forum for Constitutional Rights joins amici brief in series of consolidated cases related to Trump administration executive orders targeting law firms
https://t.co/MZqEK7IBao